Two years ago we reported on the launch of a city ebike from a Belgian startup called Cowboy. Now the third generation commuter ride has been announced, with a removable battery housed in the seat tube, crash detection through a companion app and a new mobile repair service.
Available in Europe from July, the Cowboy 3 tips the scales at 16.9 kg (37 lb), including the removable battery. That 360-Wh battery should be good for up to 70 km (44 mi) per charge, and the 250-W custom rear hub motor produces 30 Nm of torque and will get you up to a top speed of 25 km/h (15 mph).
The ebike features a Gates carbon belt drive for the promise of a clean ride with no maintenance for up to 30,000 km, and a single-gear automatic transmission that's reported to make starts and hill climbs easier. A puncture protection layer in the tires should help keep you on the road for longer, LED front and rear lights integrated into the aluminum frame mean you don't have to haul your own units around between rides, and stopping power comes from Tektro hydraulic brakes.
As with previous generations, the Cowboy 3 wirelessly connects to a smartphone over Bluetooth, and the companion app has been updated to include features such as theft alert (that informs you if someone attempts to move your ebike), crash detection (which can reach out to an emergency contact when the sensor detects a tumble), air quality mapping so you know the best places to ride, and auto-unlock to free up the ebike without you having to get your phone out of your pocket. Riders can also tap into "Find My Bike" and navigation features, a live dashboard and Siri voice control.
Cowboy Mobile Service is being rolled out in European cities over the coming months, and allows riders to book a repair online and then a local specialist will come out to them and fix their ebike for free, while under the company's 2-year warranty. The network is currently active in 24 cities, with more being added shortly.
The Cowboy 3 is available in black and two shades of gray for €2,290 (about US$2,600, though there's no mention of immediate plans for a US launch). Shipping is estimated to start at the end of July. An extra €89 will secure a set of custom fenders.
Source: Cowboy